By Muhammad Omar Iftikhar  

The tussle in diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar took a drastic turn in 2017 when Riyadh disengaged all diplomatic ties and transport connections with Qatar. The UAE was also a part of Riyadh’s plan as the latter accused the government of Qatar to sponsor Islamist groups. Riyadh also viewed it as a matter of concern for Qatar edging closer with Iran. On January 4, 2021, Riyadh announced that it is resolving its dispute with Qatar and ordered to open all borders and air links with Qatar. In a televised address aired on Monday, January 4, 2021, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Ahmad Nasser Al-Sabah said, “Based on [Kuwait’s ruler Emir] Sheikh Nawaf’s proposal, it was agreed to open the airspace and land and sea borders between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Qatar, starting from this evening.” Over the last three years or so, the government of Qatar was denying all allegations. It even said that there were no legitimacy to such blame that Riyadh and Abu Dhabi had imposed on Qatar.

Now that the relations with Saudi Arabia and Qatar are moving towards normalcy, one must wonder about the future of their ties and their impact on the Middle East region. In this regard, the opinion of the US President will also come into play. President-elect Biden and his Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris, will create a strategy to create allies, counter conflicts, resolve issues, in various regions of the world following their oath-taking on January 20, 2021. In this regard, the regions of the Middle East, South Asia, Far East, Central Asia may be on top of their list. As far as Saudi Arabia is concerned, the Kingdom has had a fruitful tie with all previous US administrations. Time will tell what diplomatic strategies will the Biden administration have for Qatar. In the meantime, it is expected that the restoration of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Qatar will create regional harmony in the Middle East. The future, however, is still unknown.